Illinois State hit its way to a win over Southern Illinois in six innings in its first game of their doubleheader today, 10-2, but fell to the Salukis in the second game, 1-0, in the 11th inning at the IAW Fields in Carbondale, Ill.
Illinois State started its first game cranking the ball off of Valley ERA leader freshman Amy Harre beginning with Abbie Scotts rip to right center for a single advancing Shae Wesley to second who was previously hit by a pitch.
Designated player Corey Harris then grabbed an RBI after laying a ball on the ground to the pitcher scoring Wesley who slid under the tag at home. Two batters later, Kate Stake drove the ball up the middle scoring Scott from second. The Birds ended the inning 2-0 over the Salukis.
After a one, two, three inning by Illinois State in the bottom of the first, the Salukis looked to make a run back at the Birds in the bottom of two snagging two doubles to deep center field by Kelly Creek and Haley Viefhaus earning Southerns first run of the game.
The Redbirds forced a pitching change by the Salukis in the fourth replacing Harre by junior Katie Kloess after a double and a single by Cutie Taylor, two errors, two walks and a run.
Continuing to tear the ball, the Redbirds increased their lead in the top of the fifth to 8-1 off of Scotts second home run of the year and Dominique Borbas double to left center cracking her 0-9 hitting slump.
Errors on the Redbirds along with two Salukis base hits in the sixth helped the Southern bring in another run, but it wasnt enough to take the Birds.
Stellar pitching by junior Audra Rast held Southern to only two runs, hurling her sixth straight win for the Birds. Rast improved her record to 9-2, including four in conference play.
Harre took the loss for the Southern Illinois.
Illinois State ripped 11 hits grabbing 10 RBI, two each by Wesley, Taylor and Stake, off of Salukis pitchers scoring 10 runs in the win.
In game two, both teams were scoreless until the top of the 11th inning when Viefhaus hit a line drive to right field scoring Jen Guenther from second. The Salukis took the win 1-0 after the Redbirds effort to score in the bottom of the inning.
Corey Harris took the loss for the Birds dropping her record to 3-7 overall. Harre earned the win improving her record to 10-5 on the season.
The Redbirds will continue play on Easter Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled to cross the plate at 1 p.m. at IAW Fields in Carbondale, Ill.
